MegaQuake: Hour That Shook Japan | Disaster Documentary | Reel Truth. Science 

Even though most of japan’s structures are made to go against earthquakes, seeing skyscrapers swaying like that must be terrifying

The old man trying to find his house broke my heart 😭

The fact that many didnt wait for authorities. They just knew to run to high ground... thats what saved lives that day. It was so fast. There was no time for authorities to act. The people who lived got themselves to safety. Im still surprised anyone survived that day!

I was literally searching up on Tsunamis out of curiosity only to realize it's March 11, 2021. Exactly a decade since this has happened.

The saddest part is the nuclear plant explosion. People had to go inside the plant with high amount of radiation. And they mentioned it was as bad as what happened in Chernobyl. It’s just terrible. I admire these brave heroes.

When the old man said this is my house... At the end.... It broke me.....he was sad but was satisfied that he is alive.

All credit to the people who helped in the recovery afterwards..all unsung heroes..

I can't stop crying while watching but also can't stop admiring these brave people at the same time.

Imagine, your entire life washed away by the same element you depend to live on.

I really love the way how Japanese people explain things, so detailed like a poem, it really makes you get a sense of what it was like

I was in Tokyo at that time. The quake itself was one thing, but around 200 aftershocks that followed within the next two weeks was another (of around 3 on shindo scale, which is quite apparent and can wake you up). Although those weren't massive ones, I could hardly sleep the next few nights since a shock would be coming like every 30 min to 1h. It's not panicking or anything and you know it's just nothing for Japanese buildings, but it just keeps you alerted.

I remember this day very very well. I was in high school and it was the last day of my exams. I was in quite a happy mood but seeing the tragedy really brought me back to normal. Then a few years later some Japanese kids who were visiting my Delhi (where I lived) also came to my school and they talked about their experience. One of them even had a Geiger counter and gave us a reading of the background radiation. Later that day we played football with everyone and I was happy to see them being quite normal kids who had faced a great tragedy but had come out stronger.

I was there (and still am). Japan never "hovered on the brink of collapse." Bad as the quake was, it was not the worst one to hit the country, and it was far from being Japan's worst disaster, natural or man made. It doesn't rate among the top 20 disasters to hit Japan over the last 500 years. The 1923 earthquake caused more damage and killed many times more people than the 2011 quake, and many of the frequent firestorms to hit Tokyo over the centuries killed tens of thousands at a time. In terms of loss of life, crime has killed more people in Tokyo. The deaths were not the victims of crime, but the criminals. Near Minami Senju station, not far from the Yoshiwara, is a large stone statue which looks like a Buddha. It is actually a Jizo, a buddhist saint which watches the gate to the underworld. In front of this statue as many as 200,000 criminals were executed, and this is only one of 3 major execution grounds in Tokyo. If you want to know why crime is rare in Japan, it is because for centuries the penalty for even a minor crime was death. The Japanese are well-used to disasters, and deal with them much better than any other culture. There is no complaining, no finger-pointing, no demanding the government "do something." When disaster strikes, every person gets up, gets out, and starts doing what needs to be done to help those who need help, clean up what needs cleaning up, and rebuilding what needs to be rebuilt.

wow, this is the first video in which you can really see the amount of water, the speed it came and the force behind it. My heart goes out to all of you people.

Rest in peace all of those we lost and condolences to their family and friends 💔

events like these make us remember how powerful the planet is

I remember this so clearly. We had friends from Japan visiting is in Canada when this happened. We were glued to every news station and frantically trying to get a hold of their family members.

Rip to the people inside that black van

Best documentary with best selection of footage I've seen so far on this tragedy.

last year i traveled this area, everything was ordered and clean, as if nothing had happened. even more beautiful. Ì heard Yuzuru Hanyu became olympic champion because he had decided to help people who had been suffering from the disaster.

I remember watching this live as an 8 year old. The one time my mum let me stay up to watch tv. It was horrifying then. And still as horrifying now. Rip to all that were lost 🙏

Over reaction or not, if you can get outside immediately do, if you're with family or just at a house wait by the letterbox or street outside or to a planned location. Go into the middle of the road away from the buildings. When travelling walk or take a bike, *don't drive* in a city. This is crucial, you'll block the roads, cause panic and anger and more hazards when the water hits. Walk, you'll make it if you start as soon as the shaking stops. Always have an emergency plan; fire, earthquakes + tsunamis. There's no such thing as over reacting when it comes to safety. *Most important things;* Get down, get under the table or stale surface and hold. In a ball, cover the back of your neck. You could be trapped under the table or desk if the ceiling collapses but you have a bettet chance of survival than being crushed. If you can get outside, _get outside._ →→ *"If it's long and strong, get gone."* Don't wait for a public announcement. Don't wait for the siren. You *walk* or take a *bike* and get as far up hill as you can and *_you stay there until the safety siren has been given._* If there is earthquake weather always, always be alert. Even if 9/10 it's nothing or a storm. *Have a plan and make sure **_everyone_** who is involved knows it.*

I lived in Tokyo during this time. It was a very scary and rocky time. Even in Tokyo, 30 minutes after the quake it suddenly got very dark and cold...that was the tsunami hitting up north. My heart was broken that day for the people who lost so much xx

I was in Tokyo then and I'm still here. I was just about to go to one of my jobs when the quake struck and since I had already experienced hundreds of minor quakes noticeable and not in my many years in Japan, I knew then that this is the BIG ONE that everyone have been waiting for. I was in my home on the 24th floor and it swayed violently for 6 minutes. I got a cut on my arm to the bone and it took 5 hours to clean up my condominium. I got phone calls from the embassy and officials from my home country in the days that followed. Hundreds of quakes followed in the following weeks so living a normal was a hardship. Prayers to those who succumbed and their families.

BROOO imagine landing a plane during an earthquake..

I was in Roppongi, Tokyo when this monster struck. It was like standing on the roof of a swaying car yet I was stood in the road. Never forget it.

awww...It really breaks my heart on the part where he says "this is my home" I feel so bad for him...

I remember waking up to this news and as we as a country (Chile) had just survived the 2010's 8.8 earthquake and tsunami, the whole coastline was alerted and all type of activities were suspended for the day because of the possibility of a tsunami affecting us too. Nothing happened in the coasts of Chile, but God, we were scared to go through that again :(

Imagine if that earthquake struck at night and the tsunami approaching in the dark.🥶

For some reason i can never watch footage of anything that happened that day in japan. My heart breaks into a million pieces every time i see videos of the waves breaking onto land

Documentaries are honestly so amazing to watch, they almost make u feel how they must have felt.

The old man in the end, it broke my heart.

If this kind of video, does not make us count our blessings... I don't know what else would... 😔

All of these people in the comments judging the earthquake victims, like the americans. Imagine if you were in this situation, of course you would panic and ask stupid questions.

To everyone in the world. I ran to the roof of the school during the Great East Japan Earthquake. A memorable hometown was destroyed in an instant. I was shocked when the tsunami subsided and I went downstairs. The person was dead. A person was dead a few meters downstairs. And the fish were bouncing. It was like having a nightmare. Everyone, don't waste this tragic experience in Japan. I don't know when a natural disaster will occur. No one knows. But you can prepare based on our experience in Japan. "Nothing is more important than life." "And everyone in the world. Thank you so much for your support. Thanks to you, many people have been saved."

Japan: Experiences the worst earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown in human history. America: *How does this ur disaster affect us? Let’s make this about us for a change*

If you think u having a bad day just watch this..

Japan is a great nation that stand strong to guide mankind. Incredible nation and truly land of the rising sun. My hearty condolences to every lost life. God bless all of us. Peace ✌

This was insanely intense, the immense forces taking place to move such huge volumes of seawater are mind boggling! I have no idea what an earthquake feels like, living in Australia, but that must’ve been really frightening. Even in events like this, with so much death & destruction, good things can still result, even if it’s a lesson learned or friendship bonds. Life speeds along too quickly to be wasted on petty, superficial differences, like being offended in a country that offers way more than some, whether you see it or not.

huge respect to everyone who experienced this earthquake.

42:00 that’s so sad 😭 it was him home even the way he says my home I’m crying 😭

A resilient nation that overcame atomic bombs and the biggest earthquakes and tsunamis, love from Pakistan.

I was on a bullet train from Hiroshima to Kyoto and the train stopped for 30 min. We were 15 min away from Kyoto and as we arrived, EVERYONE was glued to the TV. It was a vacation that turned into viewing a catastrophe 500 miles away. I can’t even imagine the horror these residence experienced. How do you even prepare for this?

Such an illustrative documentary, deserves an Oscar and more

24:52 MAN “But a 3rd disaster is about to strike.” ME “oh come on another one, hasn’t Japan suffered enough.”

Living in NZ we were always told if the quake goes for more than 2 minutes a tsunami is possible. I've been in 2 floods and multiple cyclones but nothing compares to experiencing a large earthquake. It just comes out of nowhere and is terrifying. I couldn't imagine going through a tsunami like this. This is just unimaginable.

1. Shaking Earth 2. Raging ocean 3. Invisible deadly Radiation Prayers for those who lost their lives. Salute to the bravehearts who faught to save others. Love and respect from India 🇮🇳

I lived in Japan in later 80th to early 90th and really enjoyed life style as a youngster and married to a non Japanese, no Matter how much we enjoyed life there but deep inside of our intuition that if we settle continue to live there one day we would be in trouble in the earthquake, so we left there and I didn’t feel surprised this happened just didn’t know when … I pray for the future 💜💡💟

So sad to see such a massive impact! All those brave people working at the nuclear explosion!

As a foreigner living alone at that time,it was the saddest time of living in Japan.All around it was quiet and darkness It was felt 300kilometers away where I live ,Panic buying ensues,I never imagine myself eating under candle lights in Japan.There's also the constant fear of a tsunami while living 3minutes by foot from the ocean.But now it's back to normal again,but the televised news is that the big one might come in the near future,?

Seeing the pain on the face of the old man when he says this is my home and that breaks my heart sooo bad😭😭😭

Watching this video really breaks my heart. My deepest condolences to every family's who witnessed this horrible disaster. 😥🙏🏿

Earthquakes are terrible, after experiencing the one in Gujarat way back in 2001 I pray that no one experience the same, my heart goes out to all those people who have been struck with this disaster and pray that God gives them solace.

I lived in Japan for 3 years and the strongest earthquake I've experience while living there is 7.4 magnitude, this was last year in March 2022 and with that I was very scared and even cried as I've never experienced anything like that before, I cannot imagine having to experience a 9.0 magnitude, I would be traumatized if I ever survived that. The 2022 was the worst in my case since it happened at night 11:30pm and we had a blackout in out city and most areas in kanto region! Imagine a 7.4 magniture earthquake without any lights while you escape from your building... and when you go outside it's like a ghosttown because of the black out. That moment, I was like "I don't wanna die like this, I don't wanna die from an earthquake and be buried by this building" in my mind. One thing I don't like about Japan is their earthquake, I know that they have no control of it but I guess it's gonna happen if its meant to happen.

wow the fire team that went in to shut down the reactors are heroes !!

as a survivor of Tsunami Aceh in 26 December 2004 this video reminds me of my biggest trauma. sending prayers to all of the victims

Well that was gut-wrenching. My heart really sank the first time I saw that black SUV that got caught when the sea spilled over. I feel so terrible for people that were caught in that black SUV, at least it was quick. And I was thinking about moving by the water because I thought it would be calming, I think I'll take a pass. God bless those poor people that lost their lives that day.🙏 Thank you to the First Responders!

I’ll never forget that day honestly, just by thinking about it that brings back all the scary, terrifying memories. I’d never wanna see my grandparents cry nor go through that ever again, honestly never knew this be on RU-vid.

No word can describe the real effect oF the disaster on the lives of the people and their livelihood as individuals, families, communities and a country as a whole. I watched the whole documentary with great sadness and a heavy heart. God save our people on this earth🌹

the guy that stays smiling even when he was talking about his friend dying💔💔

I remember watching this live on tv… at my aunties after my family had fled from the earthquake that hit Christchurch. It was just so surreal to see what could of been and what can still be. Watch this video brings backs so many vivid memories. Like looking down and seeing the pavement move with the quake and just how unreal the how situation feels. You feel drunk so hell during, so lucky we didn’t get a tsunami. My family lived on the second block from the beach.

i will not forget this day im in tokyo working on 15floor of hotel.first i thought it will stop soon .but it keep getting stronger.i did try to get out on the room where i was assingind to inspect.but the door keep jamming because the building was terrible shacking .i thought it was my end.i just stood to the balcony .watching the trees dancing and buildings dancing left and right .i said to my self if the building collapse i will jump to this 15floor building .

I remember learning all about geography, feels like a lifetime ago now when I was studying it. I was always fascinated by it growing up and the power of nature, so much so that I got a few A* grades doing Geography. Now as a adult the fascination is still there but I feel like the devastation it causes hits me more realistically. I still am in awe of nature and it's power and features but at the same time understand how it can impact people in the worst ways, sort of a conflicting feeling of me wanting more things to happen to admire nature but at the same time wishing it will never happen so that no one gets hurt.

I’m so sorry for those who lost their lives Rest In Peace 😔 🙏

This is so sad, so many people died from this event and I'm happy that many lived. And I know many many people died an this was indefinitely the most tragic earthquake I've ever seen. My mom told me that it was odd that something like this would happen because usually an earthquake pushes away a tsunami, but when I watched this I was in shock how this was happening on video, something that my mom had said won't usually happen. I know that the survivors of this serious event are at least satisfied that they themselves are alive/survived this horrible event knowing that they did all they could do, and that they pray for the peaceful rest of the people who didn't survive this. I also feel guilty for only now learning about this in the near end of 2020, I'm not usually informed of these kind of things because I don't look on the news that often, and I hope people can forgive me for that. I hope the elderly, older adults, younger adults, teenagers, children, and newborns who survived this and are still living today, see this as a blessing that they are alive today, I wouldn't call this a miracle though. The only way a miracle can happen, is if you take on a challenge with your strengths, knowledge, and belief that you can do it, and make it happen. Keep fighting and stay strong, even in this situation in 2020. (I'm sorry I'd people think it sounds cheesy, or you think that I don't sound like I'm taking this seriously because all that I've written in this is how I feel about the situation that happened for real) stay safe and keep healthy ❤️

When I first heard the news, I wasn't feeling anything, but watching this clip with real-life accounts and governmental operation, I wept out of sheer sadness for the people of Japan.

i was 16. we were at the student center that time when students and staff suddenly rushed towards the tv. they were just saying "Japan". me and my friends came to see what's going on and just couldn't believe what we saw in that afternoon news. we were all speechless watching the live broadcast of a tsunami sweeping the coastline. all i can do that time was to pray for survivors and hope they would be able to overcome the disaster.

I was so glad that many countries including Canada help them recover from this disaster 😥 rip to the people who died during this disaster 🙏

Jeez, seeing as how I’ve lived my entire life in a country that doesn’t get earthquakes or tsunamis, watching this is just like…..whoa, I can’t even imagine dealing with a disaster of this magnitude.

Rest in Peace people who die, lost house, friends, family, things. But this is the nature of the mother, and one day she will take over the world.

I remember seeing this on the news while I was getting ready to go to school. I think it's why I'm so interested in earthquakes and tsunamis now, seeing all that destruction and just having to go and have a normal day at school was... A lot

Thank you so much for sharing this video with your audience!

I remember talking to an American friend who was living in Nagoya, he helped the rescue efforts after 3/11. He said what really worries him is when the Ring of Fire causes all the volcanoes in Japan to erupt at once.

The colossal loss of life and the pain and heartbreak the survivors had to endure... it's just unbelievable 😢

wow the earthquakes i experience doesnt even last for more than 30 seconds and youre telling me this lasted for more than 5 mins? i would have been crying istg. im having goosebumps all over

But Japan got back up.🌼✨

earthquakes are one of the very few things that terrify me, right up their with mass shootings. maybe because i live in Australia, so those things are almost unheard of here, so if it where to happen, who knows how our emergency services would respond?

I was living in Tokyo at the time of the earthquake. I was still very small and I don't remember everything too clearly, but one thing I do remember was how much the buildings were swaying. It legit looked like they were going to topple, but thankfully Japanese architecture prevented that from happening. I'm glad I was in a relatively safe area though, there was no flooding and the radiation from the Power plant wasn't too bad where I lived, although we still evacuated Tokyo for about a month or so because of the radiation risk.

I recently saw on the news that a part of the bone was found and handed over to the Family. And the family said to that little bone welcome home. And me crying like a child.

It's sad how many people had to die so violently that day. And most of them would have lived if they had gone to higher ground immediately after the sirens but now we have learned that tsunamis can reach incredibly far and in the future what we have learned from this will save thousands of lives.

The Epicentre was 80 miles out on sea.... imagine if it hit mainland

Great coverage of the tsunami. Too bad there are so many ads. Really detracts from the film.

The amount of discipline japanese have always amazes me , in 2014 our city was hit with floods which drowned 2-3 floors of houses and the chaos was so real , everyone was directed to move to higher grounds , our house was located not very prone to floods so we could stay but my mom still sent us to my aunt she lived uphills , and i was there for about 3 weeks , phones weren’t working, people could only communicate through radios and tv , every day I wondered how my parents are doing, felt so bad every single day for leaving alone , i was 12 at that time but the fear was real , i would cry at night because i missed my parents and didn’t know how they were doing, thankfully they were fine , the flood didn’t reach our house I can’t imagine the pain of people who survived without their family , there is always a sense of survival guilt left inside you , my heart goes to everyone for staying calm through the disaster

Amazing documentary! the thing with Japanese buildings is that they can't build with concrete or it'll be dangerous in Earthquakes and also can't build with wood or it'll be dangerous in Tsunamis.

OMG I can felt the hopeless feeling feel by the people in car who are trying their best to save their lives by just watching this video and Felt so sad about this..

I remember being 10 years old living in the UK when this happened. I remember the time I walked into my dad's corner shop and I saw several newspapers describing what's happening in Japan, seeing that ''iconic'' picture of the waves flooding down into the city, extremely scary stuff.

This is just awful, i only seeing this now, i heard there was a earthquake but had no idea what it had done. Wiping away a whole towns like that. The older people who need care must have Parrish as well, to all of Japan my heart go's out for all who lose there lives and there processions. It's incredible lose and beyond my comprehension. Learning 26 thousand people died, my god give you all strength.

Best documentary footage,salute most this videos,especially now a days here in davao de oro,philippines almost a month having earthquakes sometimes we felt seconds but strong very alarming and alerted😢

24:42 imagine riding that boat

R.I.P to those 14000 who are still missing.

An excellent documentary to watch. Thank you for uploading this. PC. 09. 10. 2023.

natural disaster always has a way of bringing people together. thats the beauty of being human

My birthday is March 11th. I remember I was in college and my classmates were singing Happy Birthday to me then this news broke out. I don't know if it was really a happy day. We were also terrified that the quake/tsunami will affect us too. Btw I am from Philippines.

U cant deny the nature has the strongest power ever

Katsuyoshi Hayasaka living more than 70 years "the most important thing is, what do we do now? that's what matters most." .. no matter what we struggles we face in our lives, when we lost everything, we can start it from scratch and appreciate of everything we have from hard work and blessings..

Thank you for sharing..

I remember seeing the tsunami live on tv while my nails were being done. And as a kid, this traumatised me even though I don't live in Japan that I just slept it off (which also gave me a nightmare that same day about the tsunami just consuming everything I knew and loved)

Japan engineering is the best against earthquake

I still remember watching this all happened it was scary stuff.

After the Fukushima thing, some of my friends ran away from Tokyo and came over to Kobe and prepped for leaving the country. They ended up staying. One of my friends used to live in Sendai and she could only describe the aftermath as a warzone. Just a day before this happened, there was some Hollywood movie out about some tsunami. That was kind of weird.